Pelosi: Support for Health Insurance Reform

Ray LaHood
Secretary of Transportation and Former Republican Congressman from Illinois

Chicago Tribune: Beyond politics – Why Republicans should support health care reform

I’ve been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in Congress… For those reasons and others, most people wouldn’t expect me to be an advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to do the same, not because I don’t believe in fiscal discipline, but because I do…

There isn’t one member of Congress who represents a district that is without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in every part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the cost of insurance is just plain out of reach.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of their friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform. [3/14/10]

Cheryl Phillips, MD
President of American Geriatrics Society

…the legislation under consideration in the Capitol will bring about much needed policy changes that, we are convinced, will result in better coordinated, higher quality and more affordable care for older adults. This legislation will also enhance geriatrics education and training and expand the capacity of the nation’s healthcare workforce so it can provide high quality, efficient and affordable care that meets the unique needs of seniors nationwide…

Provisions included in both the House-approved Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Senate-passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will help current and future Medicare beneficiaries by improving benefits, expanding access to primary and preventive care, addressing out-of-control premium increases, and extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by five or more years.

We recognize that we are at an historic crossroad, and that we must not let this opportunity to reform and strengthen our nation’s healthcare system slip through our fingers. We applaud the efforts of Congress and the President to improve, expand, and ensure healthcare for older Americans now and in the future. [3/15/10]

Aurora Sentinel Editorial (Colorado): Dems’ health plan has best chance of success

Americans need frequent reality checks as the end of the political war on health care reform draws to a close.

U.S. House Majority Leader John Boehner promised to do all he could to derail the Democratic-led push to comprehensively reform health care. He said his biggest complaint is that Democrats never made a serious attempt to incorporate GOP ideas into legislation.

That’s not true. It’s not that Democrats haven’t been accommodating to Republicans during the process. The partisan sniping started early on in the process and grew to historic proportions as bills made it to the floor a few months ago.

The truth is, most of what the Republicans are touting as good ideas have been in Democratic bills from the beginning…

Despite the GOP’s politically motivated charges, doing nothing is not an option. Congress needs to pass a comprehensive package now and move on with other urgent business. [3/14/10]

Daily Times Editorial (Pennsylvania): Rising premiums fuel need for health reform

…Indeed, people who believe they can’t be casualties of this country’s current health care delivery system have been sold a politically motivated bill of goods. The next outlandish premium increase, could force them to join the ranks of the uninsured. [3/15/10]

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